My name's Frankie, Frankie Delano,
and I'm a professional watcher.
That's what I do... I try to stay in the shadows and watch.
The man who employs me is Angelo, Angelo allieghieri,
who is considered a generous man by some,
and a very bad man by others.
But good or bad, he is a father first and foremost,
and has, for years, had me watch his daughter...
Who, by the way, doesn't even know she's his daughter...
Which really complicates things.
In the last few months, Angelo has been having me
film messages to his daughter.
It's kind of like he's getting his life in order,
which makes me nervous,
like he knows something I don't.
Hey, Frankie?
You want me to say... Something for you?
You know, to put in a good word or something?
Angelo, it's going to embarrass me, okay?
Come on! You embarrass too easy.
Frankie, if she ever leaves
that sorry excuse of a husband,
you got to keep doing
what you're doing for me, understand?
And, Frankie, watch out.
- For what? - Watch out for the one
who feels pain...
And wants you to know it.
All right... turn it on.
You know, after so many years,
it's become like a pool of memories to me,
never knowing if those memories are real,
or if they're simply what I want to remember.
Because all I have left
to join me to that world is her.
See, that's what Angelo always said...
That she was all he had left...
But that wasn't exactly true, because even though
I never made a big deal out of it, he also had me.
I pretty much loved Angelo like you would your own father.
Come on... Before we lose them.
So it was hard for me, too, having to stay invisible
as her world fell apart... after she'd given in to that husband
and sent their little son off to some distant boarding school.
I see him! In the plane!
Rawley, rawley! It wasn't my idea!
I didn't mean to send you away. Baby, I love you!
Jennifer, Jesus! What are you doing?
Get... get back in the car!
Look at her. He's driving her crazy.
A Willow in the wind.
- Get back in the car! - I just want to see his face!
Jennifer, for goodness sake, I'm shutting the sunroof!
Get back... just get back in!
Bloody hell!
I feel her sadness.
I mean...
Sending away her only child.
I-I-I don't understand that.
But then, I do.
For god sakes, what exactly is the trauma here?
Our little soldier is going off to military school.
It'll make him a man.
- He's seven. - And you're acting about the same age.
Have you ever considered... Lightening your hair?
- What? - Lightening your hair.
I thought maybe it'd brighten your mood.
This can be corrected, seriously. It'd be my pleasure.
- You can't. You know that. - I understand.
That's right. Keep the distance.
The distance.
This is just perfect, we send our son off to military school
where he'll be surrounded by nothing but boys,
you fired the gardener, the place is a mess,
the furniture's in storage and we can't get it out
because you invested in some other mining stock or something or other!
We don't even have a home... Brilliant!
Where's my fed ex package or did you misplace it?
It's there.
How can you be so blase?
Don't you miss rawley?
You really have to get a grip on this.
A grip on what?
Seriously, what more could you want?
- You keep asking me that. - Fine, so go out and get a job.
I had a job, remember?
But you said a mother's place was in the home.
Besides, who would hire me now?
Everything we funnel
through to that family of theirs,
he manages to lose...
Or squander.
Look at her now.
She's skinny.
Probably her nerves.
You know, when I'm gone...
You're going to have to take over.
Be sure and... fatten her up.
Look...
I'm afraid you're not going anywhere, okay?
Everybody's going...
Somewhere.
There's no need for the Cannon.
A .22 should be all we need.
Let the old man finish his meal.
Wo An ill wind is blowing this way, ladies.
I am so messed up.
I just sent my baby boy off to military academy.
Sweetie, come here, come here.
I am so wired. Am I having a heart attack?
- Is that what's going on? - No, sweetie.
Men get heart attacks. We don't.
- Men do, we don't. - Can you breathe?
Okay, blow out. That's it.
Oh god!
- You know what? - What?
"Mama's little helper" to the rescue. I want you to take one...
No, sweetie, take two, and leave all your troubles behind.
What are these?
Her husband gives them to his patients.
For me, he triples the dosage.
Jennifer, I said take two pills. How many did you take?
I don't know! Just what you told me!
Bon voyage, darling.
This is a nightmare.
Scusi.
Officer! Is there a problem here?
- You're in a "no parking" zone. - We're talking minutiae here.
What does Angelo see in a guy like that?
I could run circles around that pain in the ass.
Does malatesta know...
Does malatesta what? Know about this?
There's a lot the old man don't know.
And as for you, don't sweat the small shit.
Do you hear what I'm saying?
It makes my heart weep every time I hear it.
Yeah, I get a twinge, too.
A "twinge"?
What kind of person just gets a frigging "twinge"
when you hear a song like this?
So, what do you get?
Are you saying this little distance here is not negotiable?
The law is the law.
How about if I just pull it forward?
And how about I just call for some backup?
How about you not?
- If you weren't so cute... - You watch it!
Nice shine...
Cheap aftershave...
Must be...
Bruno.
Any last words?
Yeah, try the clams.
They're fabulous.
Hey! Good thing I didn't see you earlier,
otherwise, I would have had to give you a ticket!
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Hello? What?
I'm on my way. I'll be right there.
My son has a temperature of 103.
Oh, he'll be all right. Want some company?
I got to go.
Later, "lucky ones."
Good afternoon, ladies, and welcome.
We have a very special treat for you this afternoon,
all due to the very hard work of our own Jennifer Barrett!
Please join me in welcoming a celebrated author,
marcello della Rosa!
It seems there are no men... pity.
If you will indulge me,
I would prefer to let my work speak for itself.
I've taken the Liberty of bringing "our way,"
the book I published last year.
Then, if you must,
ask your questions...
But please be gentle.
"He stood on the cliffs of apollonia di mare,
the cliffs of his sicilia.
All about him swirled sounds
as holy as god's silence,
the cry of the sailor.
He was home,
with ghosts of ships that came before.
Come, you romans, and you Greeks,
"you dark-eyed Spanish moors."
"'I've waited too long to come home, ' he thought,
'for time is a thief, and he never gets caught.'"
never, Jennifer.
Yeah, no, I'm okay.
Jesus Christ!
Jennifer, this is not the time for another one of your scenes.
- My scenes?! - It's not what it looks like.
You have no clue what it looks like.
You're doing her in the pool, and I get Mr. Missionary?
- Jen-Jen... - Don't you "Jen-Jen" me.
You were supposed to be my friend,
and now you're nothing but a porn star.
Now I know why you wanted me to lighten my hair.
Get out of here!
I have to pick up my kids.
Jennifer...
You have to take your share of responsibility for this.
- My share?! - Do you know how lonely I've been
while you've off been doing this book club thing?
You are just about to get lonelier.
Oh, man!
Creep.
My house, this is my house.
You're nothing but a prune now, kip!
And you are not going to disrespect me!
Jesus!
Ma'am, please.
If you don't mind?
Hello.
You're hurt!
Yes, ma'am, I am.
You're bleeding. Rather profusely.
- That's what happens when you get shot. - Shot? You've been shot?
Definitely, but it's not as bad as it looks, really.
You're at the wrong house. It's the wrong neighborhood.
You want queens, maybe Brooklyn.
No, wait...
I'm at the right house...
Jennifer. May I?
- I know you, don't I? - Yes, ma'am, you do.
I'm sorry. I can't remember your name.
- Frankie, Frankie Delano. - Right! Frankie.
You used to deliver groceries for Angelo when I was a girl.
Yes, ma'am, when you were a kid, ma'am.
The news I heard you presumed.
Come again?
I presume you heard the news?
- What news? - Got a television?
Sources close to the investigation
tell mobile-8's news team that it had the trademark signs of a mob hit.
That nice old man?
We've got to get you to a hospital.
It's... not necessary.
- Uh... the police? - Definitely not necessary.
So, what do we do?
You were shot! That's what you said, right?
Ma'am, do you happen to have a...
- A DVD player? - DVD?
Yes, ma'am, a DVD player.
- It's been shot. - Shot?
- Yeah. - Dvd's been shot.
There's a lot of that going around tonight.
There's another one in the master bedroom, I think.
I'm a little drunk and goofy from the loss of blood
so if I happen to say something out of line,
I'd like to apologize ahead of time.
You can put the towels over there.
Great breasts. Absolutely great.
They're like champagne glasses.
- Apology accepted. - Sorry!
Could you...
Please play this?
You're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do, are you?
It's okay. It's no big deal. I've done it before.
Okay.
Shh!
Smart son-of-a...
Okay.
Just two more.
My dear Jennifer.
Did he just say "dear Jennifer"?
Could you pass me
the whiskey, please?
Thank you.
If you're watching this,
I am dead.
How does he know who I am? Why is he telling me this?
I'm telling you this because
you are not who you think you are.
- Right, now, that's a relief. - There was a war in New York.
He had a lot of enemies at that time,
they were trying to take him out.
There was Sammy carboni who wanted to kill him.
And the same with lucio malatesta.
But as much as they both wanted to get Angelo,
they wanted to kill each other even more.
So malatesta gave Sammy a new set of golf clubs.
That was his way of making sure
the hit man would know just where to find Sammy.
And since this hit man was a traitor who worked for us,
it looked like Angelo was behind sammy's death.
When the hit man got taken out by Bruno senior,
who was there left to tell what really happened?
With our guy laying dead there with a smoking gun in his hand?
Wow, what a hit.
But what kind of hit man,
of any substance, has his kid Bruno junior
waiting in the car when he does the thing?
In the hospital,
Sammy carboni's first visitor
was, of course, lucio.
Lucio malatesta,
who's blaming it all on me.
I come to tell you that the guy who shot you
was one of angelo's men.
- Lucio. - Mm-hmm?
My son, little Johnny,
I ain't gonna be around
to watch him grow into a man.
If Angelo ever has a child...
Find it.
Kill it.
My wife, Maria, was pregnant.
So we flew to sicily,
to the village of castellemmare
what more could I want?
My beloved wife,
her child on the way.
The opera house that I was renovating
to hear the music
that my wife Maria loved.
My...
My wife died in childbirth.
I do not have the words...
For my grief to this very day.
This is just the saddest.
His young wife dies giving childbirth?
It's just... oh, god...
- They had a daughter. - A daughter?
When he came to america, he brought himself and his daughter,
but he had enemies over here. And if they'd ever found him,
- they would have killed the baby. - That's awful.
So he found this childless couple that didn't have much money
and he gave the husband a job,
and he bought them a big estate...
In Glen cove.
Well, that's where I lived.
And even though she had...
Dark hair, and they had blonde hair,
he still let them
adopt her.
He gave her away.
Is it getting warm in here?
So he took care of all their expenses
under one condition.
That the girl never know
who her father was,
because if she were to know...
She'd go looking for him and...
His enemies would get to her.
So her parents never told her.
But now...
It's time she knows.
- Oh, Jesus. - Now it's time
- for you to know. - Don't go there.
- I... - Don't go there. No.
Am your father, Jennifer.
You...
Are an allieghieri,
and we...
Do not bow down!
Night, Jennifer.
Who is it? I've got a gun!
Somewhere.
It's only me, ma'am.
Only you?
Good morning.
- Let me get this. - Please don't close the door.
I never have any door closed.
Claustrophobic.
My phobias are none of your business.
I'm calling the police.
Please, please, please, please. You don't need to do that.
Are you gonna hurt me?
No.
Look what I got. Italian eggs a la milanese,
a little polenta, a little biscotti,
a little ricotta and a lot of Espresso.
- I don't eat that stuff. - I know.
You have black coffee, dry toast...
No butter. Jam once a week.
- How do you know that? - Please, it's gonna get cold.
Are you all right?
Yes. Thank you for asking. Very good.
Please.
Big house.
Is that your way of asking me why there's no one here?
No.
Well, my son's off at military school, if you can believe it.
At seven!
My husband's idea.
My husband's away.
That's my idea.
- You really like cooking? - No, I love cooking.
You ought to try the polenta. It's great for gaining weight.
Your father always wanted you to eat more.
- My father? - You know, Angelo.
That's it.
Enough already, Frankie, with the father and all... whatever your name is.
He is not my father, do you understand?
I have a real live father
who lives five miles from here.
- Wait! - Stop!
- Could... could you just wait a minute? - Stop!
I'm... stopping, but slow down for a minute.
I just want to talk to you for a second.
Ma'am...
If you need someone to drive you...
Last night did not happen, all right?
So when I come back, you will be long gone.
Thank you for breakfast. It was lovely meeting you.
Where are you going?
Therapy!
- You don't need therapy. - Oh... yeah...
Shopping.
Are you okay?
- May I help you? - And your name would be?
- Allison. - Enchanting. Allison,
may I see everything you have in ensada in a size seven?
Everything?
I want to melt this mother to the ground.
Cassidy, we have a no-limit on our hands.
I'm going to need backup.
Oh, thank you!
Thank you. I'll take them all.
- Oh god! Oh my god! - It's all right, it's all over.
All over. It's all over.
Oh god, oh god!
A hit? That's what that was, right? A hit?
- Yes, ma'am, it was. - Who would want to kill me?
Lucio malatesta would be at the top of my list.
List! What list?
People are lining up wanting to kill me?
What am I? A Thanksgiving Turkey and people are placing orders?
- Let me drive. - I will drive my own car!
I know it's your car, but I'd like to take control of it.
I think I'm in a little better mood than you.
I am perfectly capable of driving!
You're probably a very good driver, but right now...
I'm the one who should be driving the car.
Maybe it was my fault, ma'am.
Maybe they followed me and I led them to you.
Oh, great, just great. Until I met you,
I was perfectly capable of shopping for shoes
without someone trying to kill me!
What?
What is that Cologne you're wearing?!
Is it brut?
Don't tell me it's brut!
You know, ma'am, could we be... just...
- Quiet for a couple of seconds, please? - I am on edge, you know.
I understand, but I'm getting a terrible headache.
Oh, well, pardon me.
Five seconds ago I almost didn't even have a head!
And what's with this? This?!
Don't shrug! Speak!
What you're doing is you're having this panic attack syndrome.
That often happens after a hit, really.
You know all about these things. You're a hit man, right?
Is that what you are?
No, ma'am, actually, a hit man takes a life.
I'm a bodyguard and a bodyguard protects it.
So you were my father's bodyguard, and he got waxed.
So now you're my bodyguard? That just fills me with confidence.
Am I getting a major league frigging migraine!?
Do you have any idea how powerful my father is?
He is a very successful New York businessman
who will make your life a living hell!
It's getting there.
Please, I'm sorry. You don't have to do that.
- It's okay. - I want to see my father now.
- Your father was Angelo. - Take me to my father's house... now!
- Mother? - In here, dear.
My god, did you hear what happened at the mall?
There was a shootout! Just think of it!
I have, really.
I need to talk to you and daddy immediately.
I think I just heard your father return...
From his racquetball lesson.
When did daddy start playing racquetball?
Your father's having an affair.
At the club. With the racquetball instructor.
How old is she?
Well, the she is a he.
Jen-Jen, is that you?
Daddy?
Jen-Jen!
Hello, loved one.
My, my...
Someone is looking fabulous!
Daddy...
Don't take this in a bad way, but have you switched...
Affiliations?
This doesn't change anything between us.
After all, I'm still your father.
I'm feeling better than ever, thank you.
He's gotten me into great shape, don't you think?
There is something completely irrational about all men.
No kidding!
So what'd they say?
Exactly what I expected, thank you.
They said they are indeed my parents and you, Mr. Mafia pants,
are full of it. So there.
The emotional extortion doesn't go past here.
- And furthermore, when my attorney... - excuse me.
Tell me something, ma'am,
is there a place people go to learn how to behave like this?
Talking all the time in a manner
designed to, like, induce a migraine in a rock?
I will not to be talked to like this.
- This is not the real you. - This is too me.
Really? Do you know what is you?
Don't kill my parents!
They're not your parents!
Please, promise me you won't wax them.
For the record, it's not wax.
It's... whack.
- How you doing, Whitney? - Very well, Frankie.
- And you? - Been better.
Yeah, I hear.
You look good, Whitney, you taking care of yourself?
You always did notice the details, Frankie.
Wait...
You two weren't lovers?
Whitney, it's time. Come on.
Do it.
Come on.
Simply put, when Angelo brought you to us...
You were the most beautiful baby girl.
You took my finger and sat right on my lap.
You kept saying the only word you knew.
Pretty.
Pretty, over and over.
Of course we took you.
We would've taken you without the money,
although the money has been endlessly spectacular.
I've really given you nothing, Jen-Jen.
Nothing except
my old, ridiculous heart.
Daddy.
Mom, the food's better than what we have at home.
I guess it's better than my cooking, right?
I never really was too much of a cook.
No! No.
That's good.
It's great! Really, it is.
But, sweetheart, what I really need to talk to you about
is genetics.
The way things get passed down
from families.
Like, it seems your grandfather...
Well... at least, I still think he's your grandfather...
No!
I guess what I'm trying to say, darling, is...
How are things in the showers?
Okay, the Frankie cooking show brought to you by...
Beretta.
- Are you crazy? - A little.
Nothing. Nothing, darling. It's just some thunder.
Mom, I gotta go, okay?
Okay.
Bye, darling. I love you.
So, how's your boy?
He couldn't be happier.
I couldn't be lonelier.
You wrecked my kitchen.
I'm sorry about the bullet, really.
No, I mean this.
Oh, this? This is what happens when you cook a lot.
Really?
I'm sure your kid really misses you.
No, he really doesn't.
Why should he?
He's got a father who cheats like a dog...
And a mother who's never had a clue what to do with her life.
So, tell me the truth.
Somebody else did all this. You're just faking it.
No... no, no, no, I love cooking.
I'll tell you what,
just promise me you'll eat it before it gets cold.
Sure.
So, Frankie, what's your nickname?
You know...
Your nickname? All you mob guys have one, right?
Like "Louie the lump," "Charlie fat lips,".
"Frankie the food freak"?
Just "Frankie," ma'am.
- What's "Frankie" short for? - What's that got to do with anything?
I just want to know! Is it "Francis"?
You got more important things to think about than that.
It is "Francis," isn't it? You've got a girl's name.
That just explains everything.
You've probably been overcompensating your whole life.
Some anxiety transference syndrome
to... well, you know...
The macho, non-verbal sicilian, mixed in with the brute,
to cover the Francis that lives inside some inner self
or something or other.
That'll be your new nickname... "St. Francis the brute."
Don't take this the wrong way, ma'am, but you're starting
to give me a small hole in the side of my brain.
I will make you a deal. If you promise to stop calling me "ma'am,"
I'll stop calling you "Francis."
And you swear to god that you made all this?
Yes.
I didn't even know I had this stuff.
You've got a lot more than you think you have.
Thank you.
Now what?
Look, your father's dead because I didn't do my job,
and it's not going to happen again, no way.
I see you've got a guest house out there,
if you don't mind, I'd like to move in.
'Cause I don't trust anybody. There is danger everywhere.
Everywhere I look.
The night has a thousand eyes.
Excuse me...
- You stole that line. - I know, from Bobby vee.
"Remember when you tell those little white lies..."
"The night has a thousand eyes." Yes, I do.
That was playing when Peter hackbart was trying to get under my blouse.
I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that.
N-No.
What?
Actually, it wasn't your blouse.
It was a bulky knit green sweater.
And what was playing was bon jovi's biggest hit to date,
"you give love a bad name."
Jesus!
I'm going to bed.
You can stay in the guest house, I guess.
- Thank you. - It's been a ridiculous day.
What's going on?
I know this sack of shit.
This sack of shit is my husband!
Shh-hh! You want me to take care of this problem once and for all?
- Seriously? - Yeah, seriously.
Go back to bed... shh! And let me do my job.
You have a shovel downstairs?
- A shovel? - Yeah, something I can dig a hole with.
What the... what the...
What the hell is going on? Who the hell are you?
Who the hell is this? Do you have a boyfriend already?
This is Frankie, he's my bodyguard.
Look, who are you? And what is that smell?
- It's brut. - It's overwhelming.
Ma'am, you don't have to tell him anything.
You cannot talk to me... In my house, like that.
It's her house.
Reconsider.
Darling?
Darling, I have to talk to you.
- Does he have to be here? - He's just doing his job.
What job? I am your husband!
Do you mind? Please?
Sorry, kipster.
Look... about yesterday,
that was simply an aberration
fermented by the consumption of too much
single malt scotch on an empty stomach.
An aberration of marital ethics
for which I am truly, truly grievous.
- Was it the only time? - Oh, absolutely!
August 14th, the airport hotel.
Oh... okay. Yeah.
The Swedish flight attendant,
but that was the only other time...
December 5th, the four seasons.
Ah... right. Um...
The real estate lady, but she was a nooner!
My only nooner, I swear to god!
Oh, Jesus Christ! The freaking sky is falling!
All right, all right! It's been going on for years!
Get out!
You should go.
Then fine.
Great.
Terrific.
I'll see you in court.
Wow.
- There he goes. - The past.
The future... man less.
No, there'll be other men.
I don't want other men.
I believe in two things.
The kindness of the saints,
and there's somebody for everybody.
Do you have a someone, Frankie?
- Sort of. - That's nice.
- Everyone should have a someone. - Mm-hmm.
Why is everybody looking like they hate me?
They think you're angelo's mistress.
Oh, Jesus! I feel like a whore in a catholic church!
Shh... we all do.
What's he saying?
Mostly that we're not worthy.
Now he's talking about Christ.
And his blood. And the wounds.
And more blood.
Now the guilt.
- There's more blood. - Oh man...
More wounds.
More blood.
Now he's back to the wounds.
That guy over there is Bruno maranzella.
Where?
Over there, with the head like an aircraft carrier.
This malatesta fellow, where is he?
Right in front of him. The guy that looks like he should be in a box.
Jesus! And whoever said men age well?
Sorry.
Angelo allieghieri was a man of great passion.
How verdi, rossini
would fill his heart.
He was a man of great sadness.
He lost his wife, his Maria,
too soon.
He never had children
or grandchildren whose laughter
would lighten the burden of old age.
This was his sadness,
his emptiness, to die alone.
And so, Angelo,
we remember you here today.
All in all. Amen.
- Amen. - Amen.
I'll remember you, Angelo.
"Remembering" in Italian means "vendetta."
You keep the distance.
Always a distance.
You goombas never quit, do you?
Frankie?
Frankie, what's that noise?
Just taking out the trash, ma'am.
Frankie, did you say something?
Nothing, ma'am, I didn't say anything.
Shut up.
Ma latest a, you're using amateurs.
Frankie?
- Frankie? - Yeah?
- May I come in? - All right.
It's not exactly warm out here, you know.
- You okay? - Peachy.
I feel like I'm in the brut center of the universe!
Sorry about that.
Frankie, I am so frightened.
- I'm here, ma'am. - Yeah, of course.
You know what's terrific about being frightened like this?
At least now I'm frightened about something specific, like being whacked,
as opposed to the non-specific variety, which is what I usually feel,
that kind of dread, the free-floating whatnot and all.
I remember as a little girl being afraid.
Very afraid.
Little bogeymen under the bed and devils in the closet.
Isn't it amazing how our innermost fears
turn into this freudian whole...
Did you say something?
No... no.
Amazing freudian nuances
of memory and consciousness.
When I was growing up, they sent me to an analyst.
Everybody was going to an analyst at the time.
He said... Dr. Gilmore was his name...
He said it's not so much...
Never mind what he said. I lied to him all the time.
I didn't want him telling my parents what was going on...
- Ma'am? - Frankie.
We got squirrels.
Squirrels, Frankie?
Yes, ma'am. Big squirrels.
They tend to overeat preparing for a difficult winter,
and sometimes they bloat.
And often they get caught in the walls.
To get out of the walls, they have to...
Deflate.
And thus, this is causing...
The passage of wind age.
Aw, poor things!
Yeah, tough luck.
Tough luck.
Frankie?
Tell me the part again...
The part of dreaming about the saints.
There's a dream that...
Sicilians that have never been to sicily have.
That they're on the coast,
on a cliff
above the water,
and they hear this music.
The sound of opera coming from somewhere,
but they don't know where.
And they believe it's the saints
who are singing arias of longing
for what they've never known.
And your father, he always told your mother
the greatest love stories
were in the opera.
He loved her very much.
I'll be right back.
Great, you made it.
Two dozen, right? That's perfect, perfect.
Do me a favor and hang out here until the thing is over.
You'll hear some applause, you'll come up to the door.
I'll signal you to come on in, and we'll surprise her.
Thank you.
- Do you know what they're saying? - Not really, I know he's dead.
- He's dead, yes? - Completely dead.
- What is he saying? - He wants his daughter to avenge him.
He's saying, "avenge me, my little one."
"My little one"? God, I can't stand it.
What else?
"Give the man who gave you life peace in death."
"La vendetta e tutto!"
La vendetta e...?
- Tutto. - Tutto.
Interesting.
Marcello!
Can you believe it?
He threw me a Rose! A white Rose.
Nice, but I always thought the red ones were the special ones.
You don't understand... White is special!
It's pure. Not like red ones. Everybody gets red roses.
- How'd you like the opera? - More than I could have imagined.
Angelo loved it.
My father...
Was he handsome when he was young?
- Pfft. - Pfft?!
Yeah, very. And your mother, she'd be able to walk across a room,
and everything would just stop. I remember the one time,
at this wedding, she made me dance with her.
- Were you embarrassed? - Of course I was embarrassed!
I was just a kid.
You know, she was pregnant with you.
That means you were the first person I ever danced with.
I guess.
I like that thought.
Frankie, why haven't you ever been married?
- I'm just waiting. - You saying you've never been in love?
Love is like this temporary form of insanity.
And you've never been insane?
- You're reading that. - Mm-hmm.
This marcello. He turns everything into such a passion.
I can't put it down. Have you ever read him?
- I don't think I like the guy. - Why not?
He looks a little too smooth.
What's wrong with smooth?
I don't know... it's just that I know guys like that.
Strutting like roosters, taking credit for the sunrise.
Sometimes I think smooth is not too appealing, that's all.
You don't think it's possible for a man to be called beautiful?
No, I believe there's an exception for every rule in the book,
but I've never stood on a chair and, in a loud voice, yelled...
"Hey, guy! You're really kind of gorgeous...
Want to go to palm Springs this weekend?"
But women are totally different about this.
Women have been known, on occasion,
to go absolutely crazy over a guy.
I know. Believe me.
- You know? - The first time I saw it
is when Sammy carboni's kid came back to queens.
He was living over in Italy.
Angelo wanted to know what he was like,
so he had me follow him. And one day,
I see all these little girls
going absolutely cuckoo nuts over some kid.
It was like this kid was a golden boy
that the sun was shining on all the time.
He's the kind of kid every 13-year-old kid wanted to be like.
I know. So I was just watching this.
W-Why were you watching him?
Well, it was carboni. Gianni carboni.
- The son of Sammy carboni? - Right.
The guy lucio malatesta murdered then...
- Frankie... - Tried to blame Angelo.
I think he's coming over here, what should I say?
How do I look? If you were looking at me,
- what would you think? - You wouldn't want to know.
- I do. I would. - Wouldn't.
Frankie, I'm serious! He's getting closer.
What would you want me to look like?
- What are you doing? - Trust me on this one.
Hi, how are you?
So, what do you think?
What do I think?
Are you together?
Mmm... yes.
No, I mean, no. He's...
- The security consultant. - You mean, the bodyguard.
I am no good at pretending.
We've been watching each other,
so forgive me if I cause offense baring my heart and telling the truth.
You see my soul, I stand naked before you.
Maybe he ought to go back to his table
and get dressed so he doesn't catch a cold.
No!
He's just joking.
You are Jennifer Barrett?
Yes, I am.
I wanted to thank you for arranging my reading at your club.
But you seemed, how shall I say, distracted.
I'm such a great admirer of yours.
I've read all of your books over and over and...
- Miss Barrett? - Over. What?
- Jennifer. - Jennifer. May I call you?
Thank you.
I apologize if I disturbed you.
Oh my god! Can you believe it?
Frankie?
Did Angelo...
Did my father really want to protect me?
Protect you? Your father used to
drive by here on summer nights,
and watch you go swimming in the moonlight.
Then he'd see you up in the balcony.
You know, combing your hair,
talking on the phone to this guy and that,
coming home from school,
and kicking up those leaves in the dying light of fall.
I saw these things too,
and I'm definitely talking too much.
And I was just living my life.
And you were there.
The whole time.
Yes, ma'am.
Spying on me.
Spying? No, I wouldn't say that.
I was watching.
And for your information, I knew when to turn away.
Did you have anything to do with Bobby Jordan?
Excuse me?
Bobby Jordan.
Bobby Jordan? Bobby Jordan...
No...
I can't recall any Bobby Jordan, no.
I went with him in high school.
He was cheating on me the whole time.
I was so crazy about him.
I swear I would have married him.
And then he just got strange one day.
No, no, Frankie!
No, Frankie!
He stopped talking to me.
Young guys can go through this neurotic phase.
It's not just guys.
- Could I have some more anisette? - Sure.
What about Polly Peters?
Do you remember her?
No, I've never heard of her.
Polly Peters, no.
She was this mean, nasty witch
who started spreading these awful stories about me sleeping around.
She was destroying my reputation.
The most fragile thing in the world is a woman's reputation.
Well, it all stopped.
Right after this terrible thing happened to her car.
My car!
It's like she just sort of upped and moved to another school.
You know something, Francis?
We're becoming friends. Did you realize that?
No, I didn't know that.
Like it or not, we are.
Do you realize you never call me Jennifer?
You may, you know.
That being my name and all.
Good night, Francis.
Good night, Jennifer.
What?
Frankie, Frankie!
Oh my god! The door is closed.
- I can't believe the door is closed. - Okay, okay.
- What are you going to do? - You shouldn't stay here.
- Go somewhere, go. - Put that gun down!
I'm serious, go somewhere, I'll be all right.
- No! - Stay back, stay here.
No. No!
- Yes, yes. - No!
No!
I know this guy. He used to work for malatesta
before the stroons moved to Chicago.
We better move this stroon because I got neighbors all over the place!
God, I'm so aggravated!
- Aggravated? - Aggravated, yes!
- Answer it. - No!
- Yes. - No!
- Don't hit me. - Hold this.
- Rawley, I miss you so. - Mom...
- Yes, baby? - Make sure you call me tomorrow.
You know I will.
I love you, too.
All right. Bye, baby.
I can't effing believe it.
My son actually calls me five minutes after
one of malatesta's goons tries to wax me!
What if they succeed next time?
Where does that leave rawley? I'll tell you where,
it leaves him without a mother.
Oh, god!
My son is not going to be an orphan!
- I made a decision, Frankie. - Yeah, what's that?
I have to whack malatesta.
You're going to whack malatesta?
Frankie, my "Willow in the wind" days are over.
You know...
You're getting in way over your head on this one, really.
An allieghieri does not bow down.
I'm sorry I ever told you that.
You're going to whack malatesta. That's just great.
Nice moon.
It's beautiful.
Just beautiful.
So, you think you've got this vengeance thing all figured out.
- You know how it's done? - Done?
You mean the thing?
- No, not really. - It's not as easy as it looks.
There's all kinds of courage, you know.
I know.
A woman's courage should never be underestimated.
Ever be underestimated.
Ever.
Let's go over it again.
- Go over what? - The plan.
We go to the Valhalla inn,
you wait in the parking lot, I walk in.
Ma latest a takes a good look at me.
He thinks he could have any woman,
because he's a little tweaked even at his age.
I bat my eyes...
And then I whack him.
And you think you can do this.
Do I think I can do this?
Okay... show me.
- What? - Your walk.
- Why? - 'cause you go in that place,
and your walk doesn't match your attitude
and your attitude doesn't match your walk,
you'll be in a bag and the bag's gonna be in the river.
Really?
Watch this.
That is nothing short of terrible.
Are you telling me how to walk now?
- Somebody's got to. - You think you can do it?
Maybe.
Are you going to put me on the spot?
Okay.
What am I doing? Forget about it.
This is your job. Concentrate.
You said you could do it, enlighten me a little bit.
Come on, you can do it!
One, two. One... that's it.
What? Do you have ankle damage?
You're really starting to irritate me.
Just follow me. I can figure this out. Ready?
Let's go. One, two.
Cross over. Like an antelope.
Back and forth.
I don't think this is right,
- you going in there alone. - I'll be fine.
I don't know about that. It's better if I go in there,
hang out in the back in case there's any trouble.
Frankie, no.
If this is my life now,
I've got to learn to handle something on my own.
You can't keep bailing me out.
All right.
He'll be at the corner table,
probably on the phone, whacking somebody long distance.
Thank you.
Ah, Jennifer!
The ring, the ring.
The boss says you need a rope.
Get her over here!
There's someone at my table that would really like to meet you.
Maybe that "someone" should have the manners
to come over here and introduce himself.
Don't be a fucking idiot.
Simple. Direct. I like that in a man.
So, do I know you?
- She's angelo's. - Was.
So now you've come over to the a-team.
You don't exactly look bereft with grief and whatnot.
- He was old. - What am I?
Springtime?
- Maybe you're different. - Maybe.
Where the hell do you think you're going?
You're fantastic.
What's the matter with him? What's going on?
- Goddamn ticker. - Ticker?!
- Call the ambulance. - Let me help.
Call a doctor. Don't help so much!
You're an angel. My good luck piece.
You shouldn't talk. Rest.
Bruno, shut up.
She comes with me.
I keep telling you...
I don't need this shit!
I'm fine.
I'm fine. Just fine.
- You'll see. - I'll see?
Get me a priest.
You gotta stop so we can get ourselves a priest.
What do you need a priest for?
You... sit there and fix your hair, all right? Relax.
You'll be fine. Your big night's coming.
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Is anyone there?
Anyone?
Could you please get these goons off my back? Please, please?
Amen. Amen.
This is for last rites, I presume.
Father, relax. It's lucio's little fantasy.
He likes pretending he's married to all his bimbos.
Jennifer?
My heart ain't no fine-tuned watch,
but what the hell?!
I want to go out special.
Like, married to you.
B-But I am married.
- Don't go getting technical. - But I'm married!
The church cannot allow...
Father, you'll pull some strings, right?
The church cannot allow such a love so pure to go...
I'm an old man with a couple months to live.
Here's a young broad on the make, so what the hell?
Love, like all things fine and true,
takes time to blossom and bloom.
Blow me with the blossoming and the blooming.
- Do it. - You are man and wife. Kiss the bride.
You heard him.
Everything's all right.
I got the doctor in one room and the broad in the other.
Careful with him!
What the hell is this?
It's your wedding trousseau. Put it on.
Move!
Thank you!
Fucking dog. All he does is bark.
He's been barking all night long.
Where's my bride?
Shut up. All you do is sit around and bark.
You're useless!
- Too bad, huh? - While this retard re-shuffles,
go check on the old man for me?
Why do you call me a retard for?
What did I do to you? I split cards, that's all.
Spell "ecclesiastical".
- "Ex-sclees... " i... - Retarded.
"Ex-sclesiastical?" what is that?
- Ex-sclestiastical. - Stop talking!
Sounds like a retarded church to me.
Where are you, my beloved?
There's only me out here now.
Look at you.
Like an angel, you are.
And look at me, like some...
Dried-up prune creature.
Oh, mi a more.
But tonight I'm coming back from the dead,
like some mighty oak rising out of some dead jungle.
But, angel face,
we must go slow.
Very slow.
You know? Like...
Molten lava.
There's a few more tunes to be played on this flute.
But you must be careful of the ticker.
Time to mount the baloney pony.
Thanks a lot for the last one.
Let's play "chase the bitch."
We're playing a different game.
I know how to play "chase the bitch."
Is your mother in this game?
- I got 400 out of it. - What're you gonna do?
Hey! The broad!
Get off your ass!
Let's go! Let's go!
Oh, shit!
Holy shit!
Stupid mutt!
It's payback time!
- Jennifer! Come on! - Frankie?!
Go!
- I did it! I did it! - Did what?
- What did you do? - I whacked malatesta!
- You did... no, you didn't! - I did too.
- Come on. - I did too. He looked pretty dead.
- Really? How? - You want to know how?
I wasn't there. I'm asking how.
I married him to death.
That'll do it.
Yeah...
Cheers.
If I don't have any more enemies,
does that...
Does that mean you won't be around?
- Surely I must still be in... - Grave danger?
Yeah, there's still a few bad guys hanging around.
I think it's rawley.
- I'll get it. - He misses me.
Hello? Oh!
Oh, marcello, I forgot.
No, it's not too late.
It's not.
Yes, tomorrow would be all right.
How are you doing, Bruno?
Want to know what the old man's last words were?
"Try the clams,
they're fabulous."
You got any last words?
You ever read this book?
Have I read that book?
Not only does that insult my intelligence,
it insults my ignorance.
Why would a man like me,
who happens to like himself,
be caught dead reading a bit of boy-toy fluff like that?
Because it's a killer.
You have a lot of anger in you, Bruno.
You've been working.
A little home improvement.
You've got... stuff here.
He got to you, didn't he?
You okay?
It was just drinks.
It's none of my business.
- I wasn't asking that. - I know.
But I know you.
You know me.
Marcello asked me to go to sicily with him.
So, I guess you're...
Going.
Of course.
It's no big deal or anything.
What are you afraid of?
Telling me something I want to hear?
Telling me that I'm more than some obligation?
Maybe I mean something to you?
"I ran away and never returned."
From then on, I became a kind of legend
surrounded by a mystery, fed on itself.
Some people thought I ran drugs.
And others suspected I became a killer.
None of that came close to explaining what happened.
"I'm talking about the kind of pain"
"that eats away at you and it never leaves."
I want you to know it.
I want you to feel it.
Watch out for the one
who feels pain...
And wants you to know it.
Check!
This is my mother.
We're in the opera house.
Happy?
Marcello?
I have to tell you something.
I'm not who I say I am.
My name is not really Jennifer Barrett.
I'm an allieghieri.
My father was a man named Angelo allieghieri,
- and he... - I know.
You know?
And do you want to know who I am?
I know who you are, marcello.
You have no fucking idea who I am.
- What? - Your father, he killed my father.
- Marcello, what... - Call me "Gianni"...
Sammy's son.
- Sammy who? - Sammy carboni.
Angelo murdered him standing there unarmed
with only a golf club in his hands.
- Such a coward. - No, you're making a mistake...
Enough!
What your father did, lives in me like it was yesterday,
that pain hidden away.
Gianni, or "marcello"...
Marcello, what a freaking stupid name!
- I like that name. - Those stupid books?
I couldn't believe my luck.
But then, Bruno said you needed your "little fantasies."
Bruno?
You killed my father and not malatesta?!
Jennifer, please, understand.
La vendetta e tutto.
Vendetta?
Enough with all that!
- Hey, Jennifer. - Figlio di put tan a.
Parli italiano?
I had a great teacher, and right now I miss him.
Of course, Frankie.
Such a pain he was.
It hurt me to see you so happy with him.
Jennifer, please understand. I must do this.
My ancestors demand of me.
Brut?
Frankie!
- How bad is it? - It's all right.
This is the theater.
Angelo was right. He said I'd be back some day.
You know, when I was a boy with Angelo,
I'd watch you.
On summer nights, I'd watch you
and I'd memorize your face in the moonlight.
I fell in love with you then.
And I guess I'm falling... still.
Frankie...
I love you, so don't you do anything dumb like die on me
right after you made an admission like that!
Because you should have made it a long time ago!
Fair enough.
You know, Angelo used to say
there's never perfect people, only perfect moments.
And, of course, he was right because I'm living one of them.
Doing something I love, in a place that I love
with a new family that I love.
Go and get Frankie for me, will you? Thank you, rawley.
Frankie! Mom says you got to get pink! We got to go!
- Or else! - Whoa!
Su, Frankie. Andiamo, andiamo. A tardi.
Needless to say, Jennifer has found her roots,
and is becoming more like an authentic Italian mother every day.
And I'm enjoying being around it all.
And why not? Isn't living better than watching?
So, Angelo, if you're listening, I have to apologize.
I just couldn't keep the distance anymore.